Kool Aid man found on the open road

While driving home from a funeral with my siblings, Will happened to see a semi-truck ahead with a smiling face against a yellow background. He commented, "That looks like the Kool Aid man." As we drove closer we discovered it was a Kool Aid man semi-truck! I didn't have my camera with me but thankfully other flickr folks have also witnessed this wonder. For such a dreary day, it was a much needed find.

What is Kool Aid? Why, look here for more information. I drank plenty of Kool Aid as a child, so I have only fond memories of the sugary sweet drink. Photos courtesy of flickr folks, wdwchewy and squishy eye.

Looking forward to the city of sin

I am currently using wireless at Whole Foods Market. I’m loving the fact they offer free wireless and I can munch on overpriced organic goods while browsing the Internet but where are the power outlets? I found one. Only one. Despite the plentiful seating in the café. Also, I ordered an iced mocha but discovered iced drinks cost more than hot drinks. This is incredibly ridiculous for two reasons: the first being when a drink is served over ice you are actually getting less of the drink than if the drink was served hot. Also, no other café in the city charges differently for if a drink is served hot or iced. Typically, the customer always has the choice. Serving a coffee drink over ice actually is a lot faster than having to steam the milk and make the drink. Anyway.

In a few days I will be leaving for a three-day trip to the city of sin, Las Vegas. I am trying to plan on seeing at least one major show, be it Celine Dion, the Blue Man Group, or Cirque du Soleil. I will try to take as many photos as I can and may be bringing my laptop with me (depending on space issues). I am excited for the trip because I haven’t left Michigan in years. It’s time to get away and enjoy a change of scenery.

Summer book club continued

New book recommendations have come in. I don’t know how certain people expect me to read certain recommendations. Like Michael’s selection of The Odyssey, for example, does he really think I have the patience to get through it? Unlike Michael, I’m not a postal carrier who reads every single day while delivering mail and yet always ends his mail route first. If I started the full list of recommended books today I would probably be reading for the rest of the summer. Or year. However, I’m thrilled at seeing everyone’s recommendations and am open to giving each book a shot. Only The Odyssey may be on hold for now. I will tackle that monster later. Continue reading below for all recommendations.

Dave's picks:

Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut link
Finnegans Wake, by James Joyce link

Sara's picks:

Anne of Green Gables series, by L.M. Montgomery link
Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling link
The Lord of the Rings series, by J.R. Tolkien link
White Fang, by Jack London link
The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan link
The Shell Seekers, by Rosamunde Pilcher link
The Tea House on Mulberry Street, by Sharon Owens link
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith link

Michael's picks:

Death on the Nile, by Agatha Christie link
Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne link
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova link
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini link
any Junie B. Jones book, by Barbara Park link
The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King link
The Odyssey, by Homer link

Theresa's picks:

Any books by the following authors:
Nevada Barr, Dorothy Parker, Amy Tan, Pat Conroy, Sara Paretsky

Great Expectations, by Charles Dickins link
The Perfect Storm, by Sebastian Junger link
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway link
The Ultimate Anti-Career Guide, by Rick Jarow link

Go here to view the original list.

Theresa has been sporting a pair of blue Crocs lately. When I first saw her shoes I thought she might have just returned from gardening as they remind me of gardening shoes. Theresa was quick to clarify: "No, they are Crocs."

Since then I've become a fan of the shoes and am debating which color would look best on my feet. Pink? Green? Orange? I have an upcoming funeral to attend and am considering getting a pair of Crocs to wear to the event. A splash of color is sometimes needed to lift one's mood.

I can’t say life has been perfect lately but after spending hours at a friend’s family gathering eating delicious Indian food and chatting, I feel a little brighter. How strange it is to take part in another family’s celebration. I come from a big family and so it’s interesting sitting back and watching how other families fight, love and interact with one another.

How are these people like my family? Do they talk loud enough to shatter one’s hearing, too? Do polite conversations eventually shift to touchy subjects that are guaranteed to result in heated debates? These are the kind of thoughts that enter my head.

My friend’s Grandmother will be returning to India in a few days and so the celebration was in her honor. The Grandmother is in her 80s, doesn’t speak a word of English and will be taking the flight to India alone. I wish her well on her journey.

Looking into where I live (with photos)

I’m always thrilled to see where bloggers live and so this entry is devoted to my own surroundings. I live in an apartment just outside the city. Usually when I think of apartment living I think of an entirely boring setting with no creativity and all beige interior. My apartment (thanks to the searching of my roommate, Sara) does not fit this model. When Sara moved in she bragged that she was moving into a palace. I thought she might be exaggerating a little but over time have come to view the place with great pride. I’m moving at the end of August (‘tis sad, but true) and so thought this entry would also serve as documentation.

What I love most about my apartment is the balcony. Here is a view of the balcony corner and a view of the party lights at night. The bright party lights and wooden rocking chairs look fitting together. We have a bird-feeder we try to refill as often as possible that feeds every bird in the city. Due to this volume of birds I often feel as if I'm living next to a bird sanctuary.

This is the one spot in the apartment in which wireless is free and one can happily surf the Internet for hours. The cushion was found at Urban Outfitters and re-sewn to fit the window. The window seat is also an excellent spot for reading and enjoying a cup of hot tea.

I don't have a recent photo of the fireplace but this is the fireplace last Fall and this is photographic proof the fireplace is used.

For now, this is the end of the tour. To explore other people's homes visit the flickr group Corners of my Home, where others have shared their favorite living spots.

In the news

Okay, so I'm not opening a coffee shop anytime soon. Such a task would require capital and right now my bank account might as well be reduced to a piggy bank. To create your own newspaper clipping go here. I spotted the newspaper generator while reading the lovely loobylu.

Lately life has been running at full speed. Sometimes it is important to get away from it all and enjoy the calm. The English Gardens is just one of the places I go to feel whole again.

While at Whole Foods tonight I happily sampled Rishi Tea's Lychee Berry iced tea. The tea is USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified but more importantly, it is quite tasty. One box at $6.99 contains five 1-quart filter pouches. Iced tea tends to vary greatly between all the different brands but this is an iced tea I can see myself drinking all summer.